Whether you want to learn the Salsa, Merengue, Bachata or Cumbia —Wittenberg’s Latin Dance Club has it all.
Jersson Pachar, ’19, president of Latin Dance Club, said this club promotes being proud of a culture and offers a set time each week to listen to the music, celebrate and appreciate it.
“To me Latin dance is an opportunity to connect to my own culture, but to also share that culture with other people,” Sierra Sanchez, ’19, co-president, said.
Last year Pachar wanted to start a club to celebrate the culture and music that people, on campus, traditionally don’t listen to daily. He participated in Latin dance in high school too.
“It definitely brings more diversity to campus—it brings a different view towards this music and dancing,” Pachar said.
The diversity of the club makes it unique on campus; it is a fusion of culture and activity, which not many other clubs offer, according to Sanchez.
Sanchez helped create Latin Dance Club because she always had an interest in dancing and wanted to explore a style of dance she had yet to try.
“In my opinion, it exposes people to Latin American culture in an interactive way that isn’t purely theoretical or out of a textbook,” Sanchez said.
Latin dance began at the end of fall semester of last year. They currently meet every Thursday in Ness Auditorium at 7 p.m., but are considering switching days to accommodate others schedules.
Pachar eventually wants to build up to a performance on campus with the club. However, he said they need a group of consistent people coming to meetings in order to teach and prepare for a performance.
Few additional people come to the meetings beyond their executive board Pachar said.
Sanchez would like to get more people involved for a performance, whether it be a dance concert or a more casual dance setting.
This past week the club worked with AIA and Shades of Pearl on campus for an event to celebrate Hispanic heritage month Pachar said. They served Hispanic dishes, had a slide show running that showed when different Hispanic countries got their independence, went over some dances and hung out.
The event was lively and casual and they spent about 40 minutes dancing in four different styles Sanchez said.
Another club the Latin Dance Club has worked with is the Swing Dance Club. Last year they held an event together, but don’t have anything scheduled for this year, Sanchez said.
Sanchez would like to see their club continue to work with other clubs, as its good collaboration and makes for fun involvement for students.
These dances also allow people to apply them in the future, according to Pachar.
If interested in joining Latin Dance Club contact Pachar.
